As a classical school, music is important to us - a "muse" whose presence and inspiration we trace throughout history as both source and soundtrack for so much of humanity's existence.
Likewise, as a Christian school seeking to train students to worship God, we resonate with Martin Luther's claim that, next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world for such a purpose.
All year, our Secondary staff and students have been considering classical music and its variety, ideas, melodies, and study through four different Lyceum messages (1, 2, 3, 4) written and presented by Humanities teacher Ginny Owens.
As part of this study, choir director Heidi Hornung selected and led our Secondary Choir in rehearsals of a chorale (a musical composition consisting of or resembling a harmonized version of a simple, stately hymn tune) written by Johann Sebastian Bach. Here's how it turned out (from last week's Spring Schola Cantorum performance):
In addition to the night's musical offerings (clips of which you can watch at our Petra Academy Vimeo channel), we displayed art created by students in our Secondary Houses in consideration of Christ's death and resurrection. The pieces were beautiful and thoughtful reflections to prepare us for Good Friday and Easter later this week.
In "Art for Whose Sake?" in the spring issue of The Classical Difference, Tom Garfield writes,
Turns out that art, as with all created gifts, is for God's sake, not its own - which means it's for the sake and blessing of others, too. That means that Christian artists, students and adults, should offer God (and their neighbor) the best works of art possible. Skill, craftsmanship, beauty, clarity, balance, and other timeless elements are to be studied and practiced to produce an almost endless variety of quality artistic works...It's all about imitating Him, our Father, as beloved children."
Giving of ourselves on behalf of others - this is what we at Petra seek to do through music and art, because this is what God has done for us through Jesus. Reminding us of this Gospel truth in audio and visual forms is the highest calling that music and art - musicians and artists - can fulfill.